Report: Former NFLer Greg Hardy to pursue MMA career

Controversial former NFL defensive end Greg Hardy is pursuing a career in mixed martial arts, Ariel Helwani of MMAFighting.com reports.

Hardy, whose football career was all but ended due to several high-profile off-field incidents, already has several promotions interested in signing him, despite his lack of martial arts experience, according to his team.

"I'm very focused and excited to start my MMA career," Hardy said in a statement provided to MMAFighting.com. "I'm going to do this the right way, I can assure you of that."

Hardy has reportedly spent the last few months training in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

The 28-year-old spent six seasons in the NFL, five with the Carolina Panthers and one with the Dallas Cowboys. His missed most of the 2014 season due to a domestic violence incident, with the league placing him on the commissioner's exempt list.

He was then suspended 10 games to start 2015 (reduced to four on appeal) for the incident involving his then-girlfriend, Nicole Holder. Hardy allegedly choked her, threw her onto a bed of assault rifles, and threatened to kill her.

Criminal charges against Hardy were later dropped when Holder refused to cooperate with the case, with the two reportedly reaching a civil settlement.

Last month, Hardy was arrested and charged on a cocaine possession, but argued that someone had put the drug into his wallet.